There are two ways one can spend time and money: acquiring things or acquiring experiences.
We all need some base level of things to survive: food, shelter, clothing... basically the bottom of Maslow's pyramid. But once you have the basics met, what do you do with the rest of your time and money?
I used to be all about acquiring things. One of the first things I did when I got a full-time job was to buy a $2000 music synthesizer (a Kurzweil K250) I had always coveted. Some go to Europe with the money from their summer work. I bought a Sony HiFi VCR and a new Mac 660av (you can make phone calls from it!).
But this gets old after a while, and at some point you just don't need another thing to clutter up your life. I used to walk through REI and could pick out 10 things I coveted. Now I have those 10 things and another 30 more. There's really not much else I need from an outdoor equipment standpoint.
So I'm now trying to err on the side of spending time and money on experiences. Travel, outings, restaurants, events, classes, etc. Or get things that can be experiences, like 12 different chocolate bars for a chocolate tasting party.
I'm the first to admit I'm no Zen master, and I still like stuff. But I try to be more mindful about it. I don't acquire nearly the volume of stuff I did in my youth, and I do believe its a better lifestyle. So next time you're thinking about what to do with your time or money, choose an experience.
We all need some base level of things to survive: food, shelter, clothing... basically the bottom of Maslow's pyramid. But once you have the basics met, what do you do with the rest of your time and money?
I used to be all about acquiring things. One of the first things I did when I got a full-time job was to buy a $2000 music synthesizer (a Kurzweil K250) I had always coveted. Some go to Europe with the money from their summer work. I bought a Sony HiFi VCR and a new Mac 660av (you can make phone calls from it!).
But this gets old after a while, and at some point you just don't need another thing to clutter up your life. I used to walk through REI and could pick out 10 things I coveted. Now I have those 10 things and another 30 more. There's really not much else I need from an outdoor equipment standpoint.
So I'm now trying to err on the side of spending time and money on experiences. Travel, outings, restaurants, events, classes, etc. Or get things that can be experiences, like 12 different chocolate bars for a chocolate tasting party.
I'm the first to admit I'm no Zen master, and I still like stuff. But I try to be more mindful about it. I don't acquire nearly the volume of stuff I did in my youth, and I do believe its a better lifestyle. So next time you're thinking about what to do with your time or money, choose an experience.
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